WEST BATH, Maine — A 5-year-old girl from West Bath was bitten by two family boxer dogs Saturday after she’d been playing with the dogs.
Sagadahoc County Sheriff ’s Department was notified of the incident at 12:57 p.m., which occurred on Birch Point Road, according to Chief Deputy Brett Strout.
Strout said the little girl was on the neighboring property belonging to family and was playing with the two boxers when she reportedly made a sudden movement that startled the dogs. Strout said that according to the report, the dogs “jumped her from behind.” Strout said the girl’s grandfather took her to Mid Coast Hospital in Brunswick after she was bitten.
“This is something that happened on private property and the families are not only neighbors but are related to each other,” Strout said. “The sad part is, the girl did sustain some significant injuries,” and did end up going to Maine Medical Center in Portland, where her status was not available by press time today.
Strout said the case is tragic but doesn’t believe the sheriff’s department can do anything further, since it was not a case where the dogs were at large. Strout said the dogs were dispatched after the incident by their owner.
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exotic pets are a danger to kids…
Boxers? Exotic pets?
I scratched my head on that one too.
Better than tighty whities tho..
They are also very good with sprouts and pea pods and big chunks of celery.
At least the owner was resonsible enough to shoot them on the spot.
Where did it say that the owner shot them?
It says they were ‘dispatched’ by their owner. It’s a nicer way of saying they were put down. Euthanized very promptly by the owner.
I presumed that “dispatched after the incident” meant shot. But I suppose he could have clubbed them to death with a pipe if you would prefer.
He?
Yes He, The owner of the dangerous animals.
Re-read article and can find no mention of dog ‘owners’ gender and was curious as to why the assumption the owner was male. Evidently you have personal knowledge that I am not privy to and I’m fine with that.
For the record, had I been the dogs owner their fate would be unchanged.
dispatched?
Shot.
I just thought the use of that word ran away from the harsh reality of -as you said -shooting those dogs.
Don’t ya’ hate having to explain a word that everyone should have heard at least once in his/her life? :-0
I know what the word means. I was questioning the use. Look at the comment above where someone obviously did not know. I actually knew it before I graduated from college with honors and then taught school.
Its unfortunate that the girl was injured but the owner was not a responsible pet owner. It is totally unfair that the dogs were put down, They are animals and should not have been put into the home in the first place if there was any chance that this would happen. They were put down for what is a natural instinct to them. Mt sympathys go out to the dogs.
I agree with you, but the way I read it had the dogs belonging to someone other than the little girl’s immediate family. Yes, the neighboring property belonged to family members, but not her immediate family. The dogs had a different home and yard than the girl did.
Well isn’t that nice that your sympathies go out to the “dispatched” dogs. What about the girl that was attacked? No sympathy for her? Her family? The owners of the dogs? The dogs got EXACTLY what was coming to them. The poor girl? She gets a hospital stay and (probably) stitches, as well as a lifetime fear of dogs. I can only pray that I am wrong on the later. How do you know that these dogs were placed in this home? Maybe they had these dogs since they were pups. Either way……. The dogs needed to be “dispatched”
I hope this little girl recovers quickly and doesn’t suffer any long term difficulties.
The owners did the right thing. IF the details are reported correctly and this little girl “startled” two dogs that responded with attacking her, something was amiss with the dogs. I have two dogs and have owned many others and many different breeds at that throughout my life. None of them would ever “significantly injure” a child after being “startled”. Poor little girl. I hope she recovers fully and quickly. Very sad for both families too. I’m sure the owners of the dogs feel terrible as do the little girls parents.
I am very sorry that this child was injured. I am also very sorry that the consequences were two family pets being “dispatched”.
I don’t care what kind of dog you own, how big, how small, how gentle; small children should never be allowed to be alone with the dog, especially in a play situation with more than one dog. It is inviting disaster.
You’re 100% right. It invites disaster and in this incident, a little girl paid with preventable injuries and the dogs paid with their lives. Now all the flamers will start because I used the word “preventable.” Tough. When humans start using the “superior” (that is questionable) brains they have, they will remember that animals do not interpret or speak the same language we do.
Young kids, because it’s their nature, gesture wildly, shriek and make high-pitched noises.
Dogs, because it’s their nature, react to these strange events the only way they know.
I agree.
“Flamers”?
Are you commenting on the wrong story today? LOL
She’s referring to the “OMG HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT THE CHILD WAS AT FAULT” comments, because obviously a five-year-old can never do anything wrong, ever.
Obviously.
Can it please be noted that these dogs ARE NOT pit bulls, so that the point can be made that it’s poor training that creates vicious dogs, not the fact that they’re pit bulls? Thank you.
They were Boxers.
Which are not pit bulls.
No one said they were??
Any time when a dog bites someone people have to talk about pit bulls wheather the story is about them or not. Just how it goes.
You’re missing my point entirely. My point is that if they had been pit bulls, people would be going “oh they should have not had pit bulls it’s the dog’s fault”, but since they’re boxers, people are blaming the owners. They’re both dogs – there is no difference between a poorly trained pit bull and a poorly trained boxer.
I understood your point and I am making a point as well. Does not matter what breed of dog it was people always bring up pitbulls. Thats all Im sayin.
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My point is that if they had been pit bulls, people would be going “oh they should have not had pit bulls it’s the dog’s fault”, but since they’re boxers, people are blaming the owners. They’re both dogs – there is no difference between a poorly trained pit bull and a poorly trained boxer.
Your sarcasm is not appreciated.
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If they were pit bulls we would be talking about a dead little girl not just bitten thank god.
THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I MEANT. If the dogs had been pit bulls, it doesn’t mean she’d been dead. Did you know that the majority of dog attacks that result in severe injury are actually from Golden Retrievers? Boxers have just as much capacity to kill as any other kind of dog. Pit bulls are no more likely.
Sorry but pit bulls are way more likely to KILL children and adults during an attack not just bite.
It’s people like you that don’t understand the difference between irresponsible owners who don’t train their dogs, and dog breeds, that are the entire reason the media has so many people convinced pit bulls are violent, evil dogs.
That’s because so many people who own them view them as a “walking gun”
The majority of non-hog hunters I have met who own pits, own them for their intimidation value. Even when walking on a leash, they’ll let the pit edge people off the sidewalk, because no one in their right mind is going to come within biting distance of an unknown pit. If there is a preponderance of responsible pit owners, then they aren’t the ones you see in public!
If you don’t get out of the way of /any/ strange dog, irregardless of breed, you’re sort of asking for it. These people are the irresponsible owners I’m speaking of – most people I know who own pit bulls walk them in places away from other people because of the negative attention they receive (Everything from people calling them ‘murders waiting to happen’ to people actually assaulting the dog or the owners – of course, the media reports none of this because pit bulls are violent animals, remember, not well-trained pets)
The ‘gang’ thugs (and wannabes) that you see with pit bulls in public would switch to another breed if the media decided they were more threatening, and people would react in the same way.
No its people like you who think a pit bull is a nice doggy who wouldn’t hurt a fly…thats what they always say after a tragic attack.
the point is..ALL ANIMALS WITH TEETH CAN BITE..anytime anywhere..for unknown reasons..people need to be aware of the signals dogs send..I agree with you Jillian
THANK YOU.
Poor training? You have obviously never been attacked by wolves.
Irrelevant. Wolves are not domestic dogs and in fact are a completely different species. I’ve never been attacked by bears, either, for the record, in case you decide that they’re the same animal as dogs as well.
Dispatch all pits bulls.
Kill a dog just because of its breed, without considering its training, past history of behavior, experience of the owners, etc?
Gee, we did that once with humans. We called it the holocaust.
Poor analogy. Humans don’t appear in breeds. Races yes, not breeds.
Humans have evolved to now live in civilizations. Civilized societies make laws. I’d like a law eliminating pit bulls and another law requiring all dog owners to have liability plans to cover injuries and damages caused by their mutts. And prison time if you don’t have or keep current payments on your liability plan.
Why do you have all this hatred directed towards pit bulls? What about wolf crosses, which are actually (unlike pitbulls) scientifically established to be more violent?
Pit bulls are no more dangerous than any other breed of dog – remember a few years ago when it was german shepherds, rottweilers and doberman dogs that were ‘violent baby killers’? Now german shepherds are considered quality family dogs.
And remember that pit bulls are actually bred specifically to not desire to attack humans – even fighting dogs. What good is a fighting pit bull that chews up its own owner? Not much.
It’s not the breed that makes the dog, anyways. It’s the training.
I’m sorry the kid was hurt..but I’m glad it’s another breed cause I’m sick of the ignorance surrounding hatred of pits…I’m sorry for these dogs too..they can’t speak and tell us what’s going on..they react the only way they can..and unfortunatly it’s attacking sometimes…hope this little girl is okay!
If the department cant do anything more then why is there a story on here? She didnt even go by ambulance so it wasnt dispatched on the scanner…. Just strange to even report this! Also remember I am sure that this is NOT the whole story people..
Why risk waiting for an ambulance if injuries don’t appear to be critical and there is a vehicle readily available? Even in a small town it takes around ten minutes for an ambulance to arrive, and if that was my little girl I would have already been at the hospital by then.
So not the point there! Why if nothing can be done was the BDN even reporting on this
It’s called awareness so many people are not aware that any animal is capable of an aggressive behavior under the right circumstances.
Where is the *dislike* button?? Some peoples comments need that
I agree. I have 2 large dogs and a young child. My child is never alone with the dogs. Even the kindest, most loving dogs, WILL react out of instinct if they are alarmed, scared, or threatened. This is a tragic case and my heart goes out to the entire family, especially the young girl, who I am sure will be very traumatized by the incident. I pray she recovers quickly.
This was supposed to be in response to Kathy S’s comment.
A sad story all around. You can never be 100% sure your dog won’t bite. It’s a dog, never forget that.
If you own any dog, you need to work with it constantly. Even if your dog is not aggressive in the least, they can respond badly if a child or another person does something foolish.
I take a minute a day to do things to my dogs that a little kid might do: gently pull its tail, pet it when its eating, pick up its food, stick my head down in its bowl when its eating, hold it a little too tight, invade their crate space, etc, etc. I praise and treat up the dog the whole time. If it growls in the slightest, it gets a very stern “no”.
I’ve built up quite a bit of trust that my dogs have a high tolerance for human intrusion just by taking a moment every day to acclimate the dogs. Still, I never leave them with kids alone.
I hope the kid recovers and the family can heal from this wholly traumatic event.
I do the same thing invade there space im alpha dog:) ( touch paws , pull tail “gently “,play with ears ,pat while eating and chewing bones.. . I have a pitbull and a 3 year old , everything so far so good. I don’t leave them alone together ever …. Even if i think it’s fine , it only takes a second even if your right there ..my son and my pitbull love each other , my dog acts like my kid my kid acts like my dog , there best friends …but never alone ever …my friend growing up had camp on beachill pond , there awesome 1 1/2 year old golden retriever bit his little brother who was 3 in the face ..this dog was so white gold fluffy and cute and such a good dog ….you never know
Absolutely. We had a pitbull/mastiff mix that was excellent with children and yet I still never left her alone with them. She was the best dog we ever had the pleasure of being owned by. (to clarify before any haters get in on this, the only reason I refer to her in past tense is because we lost her to cancer, not a behavioral issue)
My word, I wouldn’t leave my Dachshund alone with children and we never left the Golden Retriever we had alone with them either.
IT’S JUST COMMON SENSE.
We need a thumbs down for stupid comments…
I am an animal lover and dog owner. If one of my dogs attacked my child or any child, I would have done the same thing. It’s a very sad story all around and I am sure the family is hurting on all levels. Prayers for the little girl.
Too many people own dogs in this country.
That’s right, just remember, it’s the girls fault. Imagine, a 5 year old being so irresponsible. By that age she should know everything. Just for her bad behavior and to teach her a lesson I heard the parents were getting a couple pitbulls named Killer and Strangler. What next for these poor parents? Teaching her how to read and not walk in the road alone? Oh, kids are so annoying, why can’t they care for themselves so we can go have a beer and watch Amercian Idol in peace? sheesh!
By the time I was five I knew better than to make sudden noises near dogs or to approach them abruptly. I knew not to approach strange dogs (or any dogs that are not mine, for that matter) without asking for permission first (a lesson that many people seem to be learning the hard way reciently). At 5, I knew how to cross the road and was walking all over my side of town by myself, and I was reading on my own for pleasure.
Parents need to teach their kids how to act around animals at a young age, especially if they themselves own animals.
Remember though that children are compulsive and apt to forget what they’ve been taught. That’s why parential supervision is important.
and furthermore, howza gyuy suppozed to keep a stash o’ oxy safe without some pitts or bull mastiffs? huh? Its Bushes fault!
I find it hard to believe (as some have claimed) that it is possible to live with a dog and a child in a home and have them NEVER be alone together, unless of course your dog is kenneled all of the time, hooked ouside10 hours a day, or even worse your child is locked in a room instead of the dog! I think that is a bit unrealistic. So really, if folks believe that dogs and children can never be alone together, families with children should not own dogs (not that I disagree with that, I’m not a dog lover so I don’t care one way or the other), but to insinuate that a dog and child can live together without ever being alone together is not possible.
5 year olds are not typically left at home alone – so as long as the child is alone at the home, a parent should be there, and will have one or the other with them at all times. It’s not a stretch to say that the child will never be alone with the dog(s).
well I respectfully disagree, people are not talking about a child being left home along with a dog, they are saying that a child should never be along with a dog which is impossible if you have both in your home, unless you are able to lock up the dog every time you shower, run out to get the mail, run upstairs to put away laundry etc……so I guess it could theoretically be possible, but I don’t know anyone who could keep that up 24 hours a day 7 days a week forever.
My jack russell terrier and my baby are never alone together. When I leave the room my dog comes with me if my daughter is asleep on her quilt on the rug or I pick up the baby and put her in her crib while I step away. When baby is older I will make sure the dog is with me when I step out of the room but she is a small dog so she can be picked up and carried around as well. So it is possible!